Abstract: Two field trials were conducted in Babylon governorate, Tufael town which is located in Al-Kifl district in a mixed sandy soil for the growing seasons 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 to assess impact of hornwort extract, phenylalanine amino acid and nano-potassium and it’s interactions on growth and antioxidants accumulation of carrots plant. The treatments were implemented within Randomized Complete Block Design (R.C.B.D) with three factors and three replications. The trial comprised three factors, the first is spraying hornwort extract with three concentrations 0, 4 and 8 ml. L-1, the second factor included the spraying amino acid Phenylalanine with three concentrations 0, 75 and 150 mg.L-1 and the third factor included the spraying nano-potassium fertilizer with three concentrations 0, 1 and 2 g.L-1 . The averages were compared according to the least significant difference (L.S.D) test at a probability level of 0.05. The results showed that the triple-interaction (A3B3C3) between hornwort extract (8ml.L-1), phenylalanine (150mg.L-1) and nano-potassium (2g.L-1) was superior to all treatments in achieving the highest values in leaf area (112.30, 116.10 cm2) , leaves fresh weight (61.25, 66.56 g), total chlorophyll content of leaves (290.09, 305.20 mg.100 f.w ), beta-carotene (10.05, 10.19 mg.100 f.w) and ascorbic acid (7.80, 8.20 mg.100 ml f.w) for two seasons respectively. The favorable formulation that carrot strongly respond with is A3B3C3 treatment.

Abstract: Subgenus Neodacus Perkins Neodacus Perkins, 1937: 58. Type species Neodacus newmani Perkins, 1937, by original designation. Diagnosis: Antennae not or only slightly longer than vertical height of head, the first segment shorter than or almost as long as second segment; supra-alar seta present or absent, abdomen not strongly petiolate or club shaped and sternite V with posterior margin straight or weakly concave. Host plants Asclepiadaceae. Comments: Genus Dacus is well distributed in the Asian region and species of subgenera Mellesis Bezzi, Callantra Walker and Neodacus are best known for mimicking wasps. Subgenus Neodacus is currently only known from one species in India, i.e. D. sphaeroidalis (Bezzi); however, many species appear similar to each other due to shared characters such as a faint costal band with a broad apical spot, as in D. santongae Drew & Hancock and D. sphaeroidalis that, along with diversity in genitalic characters (Hancock and Drew, 2006), makes possible the presence of cryptic species. We encountered many specimens of Dacus similar to D. sphaeroidalis throughout the Himalayan region including the eastern Himalayas, with perhaps a detailed morphological as well as genetic analysis required to solve this mystery. As a result, a new species of subgenus Neodacus is described here. Transverse and longitudinal bands on abdominal tergites are key characters diagnosing many species of subgenus Neodacus and here we found distinct difference in the bands on abdominal tergites, especially on tergite V. Hancock and Drew (2006, 2024) defined seven groups of Asian and Australasian Neodacus and the two species described here belong to the sphaeroidalis group; however, Dacus sp. in this manuscript differs in possessing a longer posterior lobe of the lateral surstylus as seen in the absonifacies group.

Abstract: Abstract During August 2023, farmers raised the alarm about damage caused by a new pest feeding on cucurbit crops in several areas along the coastal region of Latakia, Syria. Collection of infested fruit samples and rearing the different life stages of the pest found to adults revealed it to be an invasive fruit fly species, the Ethiopian fruit fly, Dacus ciliatus . This is the first record of this pest in Syria.

Abstract: Dacus frontalis (Diptera:Tephritidae), is an emerging pest that causes damage to fruit in Africa and now represent a threat to Cucurbitaceae production in Europe. Understanding interactions between D. frontalis and host plants is important to improve pest management and prevent their invasions in areas where this pest is not yet established. In this study, female preference and larval performance of D. frontalis with regard to wild and cultivated Cucurbitaceae species at different stages of fruit maturity (green, intermediate, and ripe) were examined. Host plant quality, species, and fruit maturity play a major role in oviposition preference under both choice and no-choice conditions. They also influence larval performance (larval survival, development time, and pupal weight). Larval survival rates differed significantly between fruit species and different stage of fruit maturity, ranging from 0.2% to 0.7% in the case of ripe melon and green Bitter apple, respectively. Larval performance was higher in fruit with low soluble sugar, such as green bitter apple. Results revealed that D. frontalis has distinct ovipositional preferences for the cucurbitaceous host plants tested, with a clear preference for cultivated fruit compared with wild fruit. In cultivated cucurbitaceous fruit, the highest number of eggs was laid on the oviposition device containing green cucumber (48 eggs/female) and the lowest on that containing green melon fruit, where there was no oviposition. Females of D. frontalis were able to choose fruit for oviposition that promoted high larval performance, such as cucumber, pumpkin, zucchini, and watermelon particularly at the green stage. This behaviour reveals a positive preference-performance relationship. Predicting the interactions between exotic insects and their potential host plants is important for preventing invasions using Pest Risk Analyses and associated quarantine procedures.